Toddler Has Strep Throat Again

[mookie]

Hello

I need to get some opinions about Strep Throat. My daughter got Strep Throat for the first time in May at 15 months old. She doesn't go to day care and really doesn't spend any time with other children. She got it from me ( I think). Which makes me feel horrible :uhoh21: I had it for about a week and had no idea I had strep throat until I felt absolutely terrible and went to the dr. The dr. did a strep test on me but it came back inconclusive. The dr. said that he was going to send off another test just to make sure. Well I never heard back from the dr. about the second test (even after I called to check the status). I was prescribed the Z-Pak Antibiotics "just to make sure" the dr. said. I did get over my sore throat and headaches and general feeling like crap after starting the antibiotics. I thought that I was getting my seasonal sore throat with sinus issues that I get at the same time every year. Every time I go the the dr. with a sore throat and allergies they do a strep test and I always get a negative result.....So I didn't think that I would have strep throat because I have never had it before.

Well about a week later, I took my daughter to her peditrician because she was cranky, didn't want to eat and developed a red bumpy rash. The nurse did a culture of her throat and she had strep throat!:angryfire :angryfire. I was so ticked off that my baby had strep because I was tested for it and no one told me if I had it or not. She was prescribed Cefdinir oral suspension the first time she had strep. Now two months later my daughter has strep again, although this time her symptoms were mild - she was just a little cranky, had no rash, but would not eat anything except yogurt and milk. This time she was prescribed Amoxcillion. Should my hubby and I get a strep culture done? We don't have sore throats and we aren't sick. Is it common for a 17 month old to get strep throat again and again? I wash my hands all the time before & after diaper changes, before preparing food, etc. and I wash my daughters hands and face. My mother said that getting strep throat over and over again is fairly common.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

yesw it's possible that you/spouse are carriers. please discuss with your pcp.

kidshealth: strep throat and other group a streptococci infections

mayoclinic.com - strep throat

most people with strep are contagious until they have been on antibiotics 24-48 hours. thus, they should stay home from school, daycare, or work until they have been on antibiotics for at least a day.

get a new toothbrush after you are no longer contagious, but before finishing the antibiotics. otherwise the bacteria can live in the toothbrush and re-infect when the antibiotics are done. also, keep your family's toothbrushes and utensils separate, unless they have been washed.

if repeated cases of strep still occur in a family, you might check to see if someone is a strep carrier. carriers have strep in their throats, but the bacteria do not make them sick. sometimes, treating them can prevent others from getting strep throat.

medlineplus medical encyclopedia: strep throat

[mojopsych]

My daughter who is now 4 was getting strep every time I turned around. Turns out she was getting it from me since I have chronic tonsillitis. I never know when I have strep because I don't get any symptoms, but everytime she would get it she would have the fever, sore throat, etc. Well everytime she went to the Dr. they prescribed antibiotics and they would always say that if she got it again she would have to get her tonsills out but they never actually made plans to do it. So I took her to an EENT and when the Dr. saw how large her tonsils were from all of her previous infections, she was shocked and said my daughter needed her tonsils and adenoids removed. I was nervous about the procedure and her recovery but everything went perfect. She had little bleeding, and although she was in pain for about a week after it was tolerable and she was still sort of active. Anyway, since then she doesn't get strep anymore (which is good since I'm a carrier), she doesn't snore anymore, she is a much better eater (before she would barely eat anything)and she does not wet the bed anymore. It all just stopped like magic. I am so happy that she had it done because everything is 100% better now.

[mookie]

Well both my hubby and I got tested to see if we are carriers of strep and we are not carriers, so that is a relief. I talked my my daughter's pediatric and she said that when my culture was done on me when I was initially sick with a sore throat, that maybe the culture wasn't taken correctly. I guess that could happen.

[marilynmom, LPN, NP]

I have a friend who also was having very frequent strep throats. Her Dr told her to try Grapfruit Seed Extract (GSE; you have to mix it with juice it tastes horrible) and she has not had anymore strep throat problems. Just wanted to throw that out there for you.

THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE!

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

We ask that all refrain from medical advice. Over-the-counter or prescription.

Thank you.

[santhony44, MSN, RN, NP]

I hope this isn't considered medical advice!

I just wanted to say that tonsillectomy does not always "cure" recurrent strep infections. I've seen patients who had them and still got strep.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

1) YES to the tooth brush suggestion

2) YES to the "tonsilectomy" might not cure it

and 3) do you have any pets? dogs, can be carriers....not sure of other pets//.....good luck

[fantasie]

I had a tonsillectomy at age 28 (not fun). But the only reason I did is because I was carrying strep and my kids kept getting infected. I had 6 kids, so when one got sick...it took awhile for all to get better. The tonsillectomy (mine) did seem to slow down kid's infections, though.